The Kaiserman JCC is a place for the Jewish community to gather and celebrate Jewish festivals and holidays. At the Early Learning Centers, an elementary introduction to the history of the holidays and their traditional rituals will be explored in the preschool. Concern for Jewish culture will be an ongoing part of the educational program. Throughout the year we will send home further explanation of the holidays. The following is a brief overview:
Holidays We Celebrate
- Shabbat
- Rosh Hashanah
- Yom Kippur
- Sukkot
- Simchat Torah
- Thanksgiving
- Hanukkah
- Tu B’Shevat
- Purim
- Passover
- Yom Ha’atzmaut
- Log B’Omer
- Shavout
- Mother’s & Father’s Day
Holidays We Do Not Celebrate
Some discussion is okay, but teachers will not plan for these holidays.
- Valentine’s Day
- Christmas
- Saint Patrick’s Day
- Halloween
- Easter
Shabbat
Although the Sabbath lasts from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, we celebrate the Sabbath at school during our “snack time” every Friday. All classes get together for a Shabbat Sing-along. In each classroom, the teacher lights the candles, and the children recite the traditional blessings. On Shabbat, the children enjoy challah (twisted egg bread) and juice.
Rosh Hashanah
The Jewish year begins with Rosh Hashanah on the first day of Tishri in the Jewish calendar. The children enjoy apples and honey, which are symbolic of hope for a sweet year.
Yom Kippur
This is the most solemn holiday of the year, the Day of Atonement. At this time, we discuss the nice things we can do for others during the New Year.
Sukkot
The Feast of Tabernacles recalls the journey of the Jews from Egypt to the Promised Land when they lived in tents and booths. The harvest season is symbolized by the Lulav (palm branch) and Etrog (citrus). During this week at school, we decorate our Sukkah with fruit and greenery and enjoy our snacks outdoors.
Simchat Torah
This holiday is associated with Sukkot. Throughout the year, passages of the Torah are read aloud in the synagogue. On Simchat Torah the reading of the Torah is completed and immediately begun again. This symbolizes the fact that study of the Torah has no beginning and no end. Children are given the honor of being called to read the Torah alongside adults. Children also join adults in carrying Israeli flags in a series of seven processions.
Hanukkah
The Festival of Lights celebrates the Maccabean victory when Judah Maccabee and his small band of followers saved the Jewish nation from the Syrians. For eight days each year, the Hanukkah menorah, or eight-branched candelabra, is lit to recall the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and to give thanks for the great miracle of the survival of the Jewish people.
Tu B’Shevat
On Tu B’Shevat (Israeli Arbor Day) we celebrate the New Year of the Trees and our own belief in the future of the world. As Jews, we have a kinship with trees. Trees are a symbol of life and a symbol of the Jewish people.
Purim
Purim is the most joyous of all holidays, commemorating how Queen Esther and her Uncle Mordecai saved the Jews of Persia from a plot by the Prime Minister, Haman, to destroy them. On this day, we eat Hamantaschen, which the children enjoy making at school. The children are encouraged to come to school in costume for this happy holiday.
Passover
Passover (Pesach) commemorates the experiences and ordeals of slavery in Egypt and the Exodus following them. The Seder is a special family meal. Prayers and songs from the Haggadah are read and certain foods are eaten. The best known of these is matzah or unleavened bread. Your child and his/her classmates will prepare their own Seders.
Yom Ha’atzmaut
Yom Ha’atzmaut, or Israel Independence Day commemorates the establishment of the modern state of Israel in 1948. In Israel, Jewish people celebrate the day with fireworks, barbecues, and public concerts. Outside Israel, Jewish communities host parties and gatherings to celebrate. Often, the focus of these events is on Israeli culture, everything from classic Israeli foods — hummus, falafel, schnitzel, and shawarma — to Israeli dance, Israeli music, and all things Hebrew. People wear blue and white and wave Israeli flags. You can celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut too by trying Israeli foods, listening to music, and learning about Israel.
Lag B’Omer
Lag B’Omer is a joyful Jewish holiday that takes place in the springtime. The meaning of “Lag” is “thirty-three,” derived from gematria, a system of associating each Hebrew letter with a number. “B’Omer” means “of the Omer,” the Omer being the forty-nine day period between Passover and Shavuot. Thus, Lag B’Omer is the thirty-third day of this period.
Shavuot
Shavuot, a thanksgiving and harvest feast, also commemorates the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Known as the Feast of Weeks, Shavuot is celebrated seven weeks after Passover. It is customary to decorate the house with plants and flowers.